Universities push for even higher fees
- Thread starter Chris1712
- Start date
.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Jan 2007
- Posts
- 10,607
- Location
- Sussex, UK
I thaught I did, got a degree in earth science. Worked for the env agency but it was ****, total waste of tax payers money.
Now re-training to be primary school teacher.
So my degree wasn't a total waste of time, but compared to my mates who are plumbers, electricians or work on oil rigs theres not much salary difference.
My degree was only worth while, in the respect that I don't have to freeze my nuts of in the north sea, crawl around peoples lofts etc etc...
Im just bitter and twisted over the whole thing. I think I was lied to at school and at uni. "oh the worlds your oyster" "you can do anything you want too" bblllllaaaah blah, its all a load of bullrubbish.
At least I have found a career where I can make a genuine difference to peoples lives.
To get back on topic, 32k for a degree is a waste of money, I had 9k of debt when I left uni in 2004. If my son or daughter wants to go to uni at those prices, I would strongly recommend try to get sponsorship from the RAF or something first or suggest they look into a trade. 32k, what a rip off.
I really don't see the problem. If you do a good degree at a good uni you'll probably earn back that 32k in 5 years and over your lifetime will earn a lot more than if you hadn't gone to uni. British unis are underfunded compared to the international competition and if we want them to stay as good as they are, we need to give them more money. Either we make everyone pay, or we make the people who directly use and benefit from the service pay.
I assume everyone who is against this wants taxes to go up instead?
I assume everyone who is against this wants taxes to go up instead?
I'd suggest fewer people go to university - this would make it cheaper for those that do go as the public funding for university education would go further and private 'top ups' would not be needed.
If private fees are needed then it shouldn't be flat across all courses. Subject areas that the British economy is weak in should have zero or lower fees than subject areas the economy already has an over supply of. This would have the effect of focusing the public money onto skills gaps.
If private fees are needed then it shouldn't be flat across all courses. Subject areas that the British economy is weak in should have zero or lower fees than subject areas the economy already has an over supply of. This would have the effect of focusing the public money onto skills gaps.
Soldato
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2004
- Posts
- 14,315
- Location
- Peoples Republic of Histonia, Cambridge
It's not the universities fault for wanting more money, it's the governments fault for not providing it. If the government wants a highly educated work force they need to start paying for it.
If you have a good job you already pay for your education through significantly increased tax commitments. Education pays for itself.
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Nov 2003
- Posts
- 9,682
- Location
- On the pale blue dot
This is speculation on my part, but is this perhaps an attempt by the big universities to weed out the less fortunate and return to their former elitism where only the rich could go to university?
This of course contrasts with the Government's bloodymindedness in wanting everyone to go to University.
This of course contrasts with the Government's bloodymindedness in wanting everyone to go to University.
Take the silly money being used to subsidise the fees of the people who shouldn't be going to university (50% target whatnot) and use it to entirely pay for the fees of those who should be going to university (potential academics etc.)
Problem solved.
Problem solved.
As others have said, the issue is the combination of funding and attendance. The idea that we need 50% of people with degrees is flawed to start with, and has dramatically devalued the idea.
We're at a turning point, we either need to accept the higher fees in exchange for increased attendance, or we need to forget the increased attendance idea and focus on the smaller core of degrees and attendants and concentrate on giving them free.
We're at a turning point, we either need to accept the higher fees in exchange for increased attendance, or we need to forget the increased attendance idea and focus on the smaller core of degrees and attendants and concentrate on giving them free.
Lucky student loans are linked to interest rate
Problem is when I started uni, the rates were just over 1% (BOE rates were way higher so you could actually make money on your student loan), now I finished almost a year ago, and received a letter saying the rates are now over 3%...
I don't get why Labour thought they won the argument last time around? They blathered on about "people who benefit from university should pay for that benefit" which looked good to the working class who didn't go when it was free and resent "filthy students". Problem is, they also benefit, people who go to University, for the most part, strengthen the economy with their skills and pay higher taxes as they tend to make more.
It was just a sneaky way to prop up a sector that had been woefully underfunded for many years without having to break out the government coffers. I doubt that working conditions for staff have improved, any lecturers on here care to comment?
It was just a sneaky way to prop up a sector that had been woefully underfunded for many years without having to break out the government coffers. I doubt that working conditions for staff have improved, any lecturers on here care to comment?
Permabanned
- Joined
- 5 Jan 2008
- Posts
- 4,123
Most of the degree's people have that I know are pointless ones anyway, they finish, cannot get a job and end up working in a bar...
Get a real degree and a job while your at it to help with your fee's and stop moaning about debt.
Get a real degree and a job while your at it to help with your fee's and stop moaning about debt.
I'd say I've got the above and I also worked a lot during university just to get by, and it still wasn't enough. It just isn't that simple for everyone, so well done on the blanket statement.
Permabanned
- Joined
- 5 Jan 2008
- Posts
- 4,123
It is that simple.
How is it that other people can do it and the moaning bunch cannot? because they want to spend the time they could be working out drinking instead?
I work full time, more than full time actually, usual first in last out 3rd line IT work and I managed this while studying AND paying for my degree.
Everyone has the same amount of hours in a day.
How is it that other people can do it and the moaning bunch cannot? because they want to spend the time they could be working out drinking instead?
I work full time, more than full time actually, usual first in last out 3rd line IT work and I managed this while studying AND paying for my degree.
Everyone has the same amount of hours in a day.
Increasing tuition fees isn't the way to solve that problem, that would only serve to recreate a class barrier at Universities, with only the better off able to afford higher education. Cutting numbers down ought to be solely basic on intellect, having Higher/A-level English as a mandatory entry requirement would be one better option.
Lol...
I'm at uni atm and it feels like a massive waste of time. Sure in 3 years I'll have a degree but the work ROFL its like stuff from highschool. This is how you use photoshop... Y OU SERIOUS?
Felt like i should have skipped college, screwed uni off and just got a job straight out of highschool because i produce high quality work and this degree is a joke. Save myself some debt too.
But no, employers want that little piece of paper saying DEGREE OH LOL HE MUST BE GOOD.
If the fee's go up to as much as 5-6k a year you won't see many unis packing their lectures tbh.
/rant over
I'm at uni atm and it feels like a massive waste of time. Sure in 3 years I'll have a degree but the work ROFL its like stuff from highschool. This is how you use photoshop... Y OU SERIOUS?
Felt like i should have skipped college, screwed uni off and just got a job straight out of highschool because i produce high quality work and this degree is a joke. Save myself some debt too.
But no, employers want that little piece of paper saying DEGREE OH LOL HE MUST BE GOOD.
If the fee's go up to as much as 5-6k a year you won't see many unis packing their lectures tbh.
/rant over
Well that's if you choose to do a part-time course. Most students - amusingly enough - are full-time. My course was three years long, full-time. I spent most of my first year finding my feet and trying to find work, then I spent the next two years working my backside off behind a bar just to get by.
Fast-forward to my final year and the bank starts playing silly buggers. I work even more to compensate, even get a hardship grant; it's still not enough. Notch on the accumulating debt from previous two years. Come my third year, without literally being in two places at once, there was absolutely no possible way for me to not accrue debt. I was working so much it was genuinely effecting my studies.
The world isn't black and white. Stop being a muppet. You're just another idiot who thinks they've got the world worked out and you're clearly far off the mark.
The only time you can literally work full-time and still get in your full-time university work (excluding lectures) would be during your first year, and maybe with a lot of flexibility on behalf of your employer; your second, but it's doubtful. How can you be in the office and attending scattered lectures? Come off it.
Last edited: